Holder for flowers and other articles



Se t. 8, 1953 P. F. K. ERBGUTH HOLDER FOR FLOWERS AND OTHER- ARTICLESFiled Dec. 15, 1947 3 Sheets-Sneet l INVENTOR. Paw FifiERBe-un/ BY fldwzfiwdmrf HTTORNEYE Sept. 8, 1953 P. F. K. ERBGUTH HOLDER FOR FLOWERS ANDOTHER ARTICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 15, 1947 m6 MB P F m. P

WITNESS flTTORNEYE Sept. 8, 1953 P. F. K. ERBGUTH 2,651,422

HOLDER FOR FLOWERS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed Dec. 15, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet:5

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HTTORNEYS Patented Sept. 8, 1 953 UNITED STATES PATENT. ()FFICE2,651,422 V HOLDER; Fo-R FLOWERS: Annonian ARTICLES Paul K, Erbguth,GreatNecKN. Y. a f Application December 13, 1947, Serial No;791,'5 09 1Claim. (01.211 9) This invention relates to a holder for flowers andother articles which are to be retained in a substantially uprightposition for the purpose of observation or ready access. e The object ofthe invention is to provide a holder; for flowers, pens, pencils andlike unitary objects which are preferably displayed in single ormultiple numbers. I Afurther object is to provide in such a device asecure fastening means for attachment to a surface" to insure againstdisplacement and tipping, but nevertheless permitting ready removalthereof without marring or disfiguring such surface.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is atop view of the device, Fig. 2 is a verticalsection on the line 2- -2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3is a horizontal section onthe line 33 of 'Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is'a plan view of a modification! Fig. 5'is a vertical'section' on the line 55; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the baseof a further modification; Fig. 7 is in part a section of the device ofFig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a front view of the device of Fig. 7.

The frame portions of the device are preferably made of a thermoplasticmaterial, such as cellulose acetate, Lucite, Vinylite and the like,heated and bent to the desired configuration. .Other materials, such asthermo-setting plastics, metals and glass are also suitablel The topmember I, formed of a suitable sheet of thermoplastic material, while inflat condition,

is molded, punched or drilled with a series of apertures 2 distributedin pre-determined arrangement over substantially the entire surface ofthe top member. The top member is then bent or bowed under the influenceof heat to the desired contour to provide a substantially rigid member,which, however, is resilient under the ordinary conditions of use. Theend portions of the top member I is provided with two broad, downwardlyextending feet or supports 3 upon which the device is intended to restalong a line contact for a suitable distance. In Fig. 2 the device isillustrated in arrangement with the inside face of the glass bowl 4. Anintermediate member 5 is likewise provided with a series of holes 6which are generally aligned with the apertures 2 in the top member I.The intermediate member 5, which is also made of a thermoplastic, isprovided with lugs I, two on each end thereof, which are bent downwardlyand fit through slots 8 in the supports 3, thereby positioning theintermediate member below the top member I.

A rubber suction cup I0 is attached to the post II and is positionedbelow the intermediate member 5 with its lower edge normally lying nearthe plane of the lower edges 9. The post I I comprises the sleeve I2which is inserted and cemented in the shank I3 of the cup I0, theshoulder I4 which fits against the central portion of the member 5,around the hole I6 and the stem I5 which is cemented into recesses inthe post II and inthe sleeve I2. 'The post at its lower edge has agreater diameter than the hole I6 resulting in the material of themember 5, around the hole l6, being confined between the shoulders Itand. the edge of the 'post II overlying the hole. Y

- .When theholder is intended to be used for supporting cut flowers in*a'dish 4, it is placed therein with the feet'or edges 9 of the supports{resting on the inner surface'of the dish. Downward pressure'is thenapplied to the top of the post II which causes the suction cup to attachitself to the inner surface of the dish. Inasmuch as the'intermediatemember 5 is firmly embraced-between the post II and thesleeve I2, prssureon the post cau'sesflexing or bowing of theintermediate member 5, as illustrated in Fig. 2,whichin turn placeddownward pressure on the elongated lower edges of the supports 3 andpresses such edges against the inner surface of the bowl. Upon releaseof the downward pressure'on the'post 'II, the bowed position of theintermediate member 5 is retained by the downward pullof the suction cupI0 which is attached tothe inner surface of the bowl bottom. Thesupports 3 are spaced a suitable distance apart, greater than thediameter of the suction cup; in'or'de'r that the device is securelysupported against tilting. The suction cup, per se, does notsupport thedevice, its function being to pull the"" device securely against thesupporting sur- The edges 9 of the supports 3 are elongated and providea line contact of support. In fact, the length of each of the edges 9 isgreater than the diameter of the suction cup in order that the device issupported, not on the suction cup per se, but on the substantially rigidsupports 3. Inasmuch as the suction cup is centrally located in respectto the intermediate member 5, the pressure thereof is distributed to theedges 2 on both sides of the suction cup.

The device is extremely sturdy and will resist movement or tipping eventhough a large number of long stemmed flowers are carried by the devicewith substantial portions thereof extending above the top surface of thetop member I. These advantages result from the fact that the extremeouter edges of the supports are a relatively large distance apart, notonly in respect of the outer edges of each end support, but also inrespect of the relation of the outer edges of the opposite supports andalso upon the fact that the suction cup is located inside of the outeredges and substantially centrally of the device, acting only as anattaching member under slight upward pull when in use. Thesuction cupdoes not carry any of the load of the device or of articles carried bythe device. In other words, the suction cup is an anchor but not a loadcarrying support. It has in fact been found that when a suction cup,having about 1 /2" inches diameter, is secured to the inside surface ofa glass flower bowl, by pressure on the post H against the resiliency ofthe intermediate member 5, it is difficult to detach the suction cup byupward pull on the post.

In order to break the suction of the cup ID, the lower portion thereofis connected with a handle 17 which parallels the stem I I and passesthrough two aligned apertures, the lower edge thereof carrying a rubberlip 18 cemented 0r otherwise attached to the edge portion of the cup Hi.When it is desirous to remove the holder, particularly when it carries alarge number of flowers, the handle 11 is pulled upwardly which raisesthe edge portion of the cup around the lip I8, permitting the entry ofwater and breaking the suction.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the holder has a circularconfiguration and com prises the perforated plates l and 25 spaced apartby the perforated tubular member 30. A tubular base 20, made ofaresilient thermoplastic material, is secured to the plate 25 and has alower edge 2| forming a line contact with the flat portion of the bowl4. The post H passes through the alined holes 3|, 32 in the plates l'and 25, respectively, and carries the comp-ression spring 22 which bearsagainst the washer 23 and the pin 24, the latter passing through anaperture in the post. It will be apparent that the spring creates anupward pull against the suction cup In when the latter is attached tothe bottom of the bowl thereby providing a downward pressure of thetubular base 20 against the bowl. A stop member 33, secured to the post,limits the extent of the upward movement of the post in response to thepressure exerted by the spring 22.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show the holder of this invention applied to a bracketfor suspendin'g'articles of personal use, such as a watch, thermometersand like articles, or to be used for display on store shelves and instore windows. The structure of the holder is similar to that of Fig. 5.

the center of each plate, a first laterally-extending stop membersecured to the post at a point between the two plates, a springencircling said post said spring being compressed between the said firststop member and the lower plate and normally exerting an upward pressureon the post, a tubular base made of a resilient thermoplastic materialand having an end secured to the lower plate said tubular base beingsubstantially alined with the said tubular member, 'a second stop membersecured to the post at a point within the said tubular base said secondstop member being adapted to strike the lower plate and thereby limitthe extent of upward movement of the post in response to the upwardpressure exerted by the spring, and a flexible suction cup secured tothe lower end of the post, the recited arrangement being such that adown* ward movement of the post will force the suction cup intofrictional contact with the bowl bottom after which the holder willremain aifixed to the bowl by reason of the downward pressure of theresilient, tubular base against the bowl surface and the upward pressureof the spring.

PAUL F. ,K. ERBGUTH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 670,391 Robinson Mar. 19, 1901 903,227 Pruden Nov. 10, 19081,147,102 Knabe July 26, 1915 1,621,974 Deenihan Mar. 22, 1927 1,883,791Jewell Oct. 18, 1932 2,261,326 Atkisson Nov. 4, 1941 2,332,352 SmithOct. 19, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS a Number Country Date 319,554 GreatBritain Sept. 26,1929

